Coin-operated pool table

ABSTRACT

A coin-operated pool table in which the playing balls are released to an open compartment upon the deposit of a predetermined coin, including a bridge member which engages the top of the cue ball which is larger than the object balls for the automatic release and return of the cue ball into the compartment during the play of the game. As the object balls are hit into the table pockets, they are guided down a common helical runway where they are sequentially retained by a hinged spring biased platform and a stop member secured over said runway until said platform is released by a coin-actuated lever.

I United States Patent nu 3,618,943

[72] Inventor Ernest Mllu 2,074,351 3/1937 Zeigler 221/301 N 21 FOREIGN PATENTS [2]] Appl. o. 8 l 37 7 H Filed Decal 1969 425,2 3/1935 Great ritain 2 3/ C [45] Patented Nov. 9, 1971 Primary Examiner-Anton O. Oechsle [73] Assignee All Tech Industries, Inc. Assistant Examiner-R T. Stouffer l-ligleah, Fla, Attorney-Lloyd J. Andres 54 COIN-OPERATED P 0L TABLE I l 1 Claim, 11 Drawing 3 ABSTRACT: A com-operated pool table in which the playing balls are released to an open compartment upon the deposit of UsS. C a predetermined eon-including a member which en. Int-CI A63d l5/00 gages the top of the cue ball which is larger than the object [50] Field of Search 273/11 R, n f the automatic [chase and return f the cue ball into 11C, 3 R, 3 C, 301; 124/50; 221/150 B, 2 1 the compartment during the play of the game. As the object balls are hit into the table pockets, they are guided down a [56] References Cited common helical runway where they are sequentially retained UNITED STATES PATENTS by a hinged spring biased platform and a stop member secured 1,230,059 6/1917 Andrews 273/1 1 R over said runway until said platform is released by a coin-actu- 3,096,98l 7/1963 Fischer 273/11 R ated lever.

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PATENTEUunv 91911 sum 5 OF 5 QGE ' ERNEST MILU COIN-OPERATED POOL TABLE This invention relates in general to coin operated pool tables and more particularly to a pool table in which the playing balls and the cue ball are released to an open compartment upon the deposit of a coin, including means for returning the cue ball one.

lriorv coin operated pool tables of this general character required complicated, expensive and troublesome means for retaining the played balls in an inaccessible compartment while returning the cue ball that was played during a scratch game. The above mentioned complexity and high cost has been greatly reduced by a novel simplification runway means operating in conjunction with a conventional coin receiver.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a runway in the form of a helical convolute for retaining all balls when the table is idle including coin operated means for releasing the balls to an open compartment for manual removal.

These and other objects and advantages in one embodiment of the invention are described and shown in the following specification and drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view in reduced scale of the coin operated ball release device in the end portion of a pool table.

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the ball casing in the table shown in FIG. 1-in larger scale.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the ball casing shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a front elevation taken through section line 4-4, FIG. 3, in larger scale.

FIG. 5 is a rear elevation taken through section line 5-5, FIG. 3, in larger scale.

FIG. 6 is a side elevation taken through section line 6-6, FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary bottom plan view taken through section line 7-7 FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary side elevation taken through section line 8-8, FIG. 5.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the pathway configuration shown in FIGS. 3-5.

FIG. 10 shows a portion of elements shown in FIG. 3 in changed position.

FIG. II is a top plan view like FIG. 3 with all balls in their released position.

FIG. 1 illustrates a typical pool table assembly 1 having an open front casing 2, better shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, with a stop rail 3 forming an open compartment therein for retaining all of the gravity propelled balls from the six pockets of the pool table. A coin slide assembly 4 is conveniently secured in the casing for the deposit of a predetermined coin therein.

FIG. 2 shows a front elevation of the casing 2 with the rail 3 broken away to show the exit runway 5, a ball viewing window 6 and a cash drawer 7.

Referring to FIG. 3, the coin slide assembly 4 shows an aperture for the deposit of a predetermined coin in the slide 8 thereof which operates the ball release mechanism, to be hereinafter described.

Adjacent a vertical partition 9 in the casing 2 is secured an oval shaped descending helical ball runway assembly 10 which is secured in part in the compartment by brackets 11-11 and includes an inlet runway portion 12, which is connected to the table runways, not shown, from the six pockets, The inlet path portion 32 conducts all of the balls into the uppermost part of the runway assembly 10. The descending runway assembly accommodates the 15 play balls which freely pass under a barrier member 34 which is obliquely positioned transverse and a predetermined distance above the runway, as shown. Since the cue ball is larger in diameter than the play balls, it will not pass under the barrier member 34 and will be deflected to gravitate into a central portion of the runway assembly forming path 33 and travel in a downward direction, shown by arrow, to the lower exit path 22 to the exit runway 5.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the accumulation and release of the balls are controlled by a pair of levers 15 and 16, shown in FIG. 3, joumaled in a pair of brackets 17-17. A torsion spring 18 is positioned around each lever 15 and 16 and secured to each bracket 17, as shown, for urging the levers and the coin slide into normal idle position.

A stop pin 19 is secured to lever 16 normal to the axis of rotation thereof for the purpose of providing a stop for all balls descending toward runway inlet portion 12, best shown in FIG. 3. The floor 20 of runway assembly 10, shown in FIG. 4, shows a lateral opening 21 and illustrates the path of descent in the exit runway 22 for return of the cue ball during play.

FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of the runway assembly 10 and the first five of the balls retained in idle position therein with the foremost three balls 23-23 resting on a plat form 24 hinged to the floor of the runway by hinge means 25 and shown in its upper position by an ofi'set end 26 of lever 15 which is engaged with a stop means 27 attached to and depending downward from the outer side of the end of platform 24,'thus restraining the balls in the assembly by the contact of a stop 28 with the upper portion of the foremost ball 23 of an accumulating series of the fifteen balls.

A tension spring 29 is engaged with a bracket 30 on the forward end of platform 24 with the opposite end thereof secured to the runway, the tension of which is overcome by the weight of one ball. The coin slide has a roller 31 joumaled on the outer end of slide 8 and positioned to simultaneously engage and displace offset straight ends of levers l5 and 16, by a camming action of the coin slide 8.

It is to be noted in FIGS. 3, 4, and 5, that the compartment 2 has a partition 20 for securing the runway assembly 10 within the compartment.

It is now apparent that when the coin slide, shown in FIG. 3, is moved to its inner operated position, the ofiset latch end 26 of lever 15 will release the platform 24 under the influence of gravity of the three balls 23 thereon which have overcome the restraining action of spring 29, which will permit the balls to continue their downward movement on the runway to exit 5 into the compartment behind rail 3 for manual removal.

The coin release movement is clearly shown in FIG. 6, illustrating the idle position of levers l6 and 15 in which movement of lever 15 releases the platform 24, shown in FIG. 5, for descent and which movement moves lever 16 to rotate stop pin 19 into the input of runway assembly 10 to prevent balls descended thereinto for reuse without a subsequent deposit of a coin in the slide and the manual reciprocation thereof.

FIG. 9 illustrates in perspective the runway assembly 10 for receiving balls from the table pockets in the runway portion 12 which directs all of the playing balls 23 into the highest runway portion 32 of the sloping helical runway 10 where they will roll by gravity against stop 28 with at least three balls resting upon platform 24.

It is also apparent that the slightly larger diameter cue ball will also enter runway 32 and be diverted into the central runway 33 for gravitation from the exit path 22, which rolls from the left part of exit runway 5 into the space behind rail 3 for manual removal.

FIG. 10 shows the means for separating the slightly larger cue ball Q from the playing balls 23, which is accomplished by a bridge member 34 secured to partition 2a and bridging the upper portion 32 of the runway, as shown. The lower edge of the bridge member is positioned to pass all playing balls 23 thereunder into the upper runway portion 32, but deflecting the cue ball into the central runway 33 for descent to the pathway 22 and out of left exit 5, shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 11 shows the position of all elements of the device following the insertion of a coin in coin slide assembly 4 and the manual movement of the slide 8 into its operative position whereby all balls have traversed the runway assembly 10 and have come to rest in the compartment behind rail 3 for manual removal. It is important to note that although the coin slide assembly 4 is provided with return springs, not shown, the two springs 17-17 on levers l5 and 16 will normally return the slide to its normal position, shown in FIG. 3, and permit the balls to assume the position shown in FIG. 11.

In operation and upon the deposit of a predetermined coin in said coin slide assembly and the manual inward movement of the slide thereof, the elevator 24 will be released to descend, by the weight of one or more balls, to a position colinear with the floor of said runway which will permit all balls to descend along the entire convolute runway under the stop 28 and flow out of the right hand portion of the exit 4, shown in FIG. 2. The cue ball will also gravitate under the stop 28 and continue a short distance down the runway until the upper portion thereof engages the bridge member 34 which will deflect the cue ball into the descending pathway 33 and along the pathway 22 and out of the left portion of exit 5 into the open compartment for manual removal. When a scratch play is made, the play ball will be retained behind the stop 28 but the cue ball will continue along the path 32 and deflect into the descending return paths 33 and 22 and roll from the exit 5 for release and reuse during the play of the game.

In the event that the slide 8 is held in its inner position in order to obtain a free game, then the stop pin 19 will intersect the pathway 32 and prevent the return of any ball into the compartment until the slide is returned to its outer idle position and a proper coin is deposited for replay.

This invention comprehends modifications in construction that come within the teachings and spirit of the above specification.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A pool table with pockets with runway means in said tale connecting each of said pockets to a common outlet for gravitating all played balls from said pockets into an entrance in a casing under one end of said table comprising a descending runway secured in said casing in the form of a transverse helical convolute about a pair of spaced vertical axes with the upper entrance thereof connected to said common outlet for gravity conducting all played balls in a downward direction, an open compartment in said casing with a ball exit therein positioned to receive balls from the lower end of said descending runway, an elongated planar platform hinged at the inner end thereof in the floor of said runway for movement from a holding position at a predetermined angle above the floor of said runway to a lowered release position coplanar with said floor, a stop member transversely secured over said runway and positioned above said platform for engaging and holding the upper portion of foremost one of said balls form gravitating along said runway when said platform is in its said holding position, spring means biased between said runway and said platform for normally urging the latter into said holding position without balls thereon, a coin mechanism in said casing adapted and constructed for manual reciprocating movement from an idle to a ball release position upon the deposit of a predetermined coin therein, lever means in said casing articulated with said coin mechanism for normally holding said platform in its upper holding position when said coin mechanism is in its said idle position with the first of said balls held against said stop member when said platform is in said holding position whereby the manual movement of the coin mechanism to its said release position will move said lever means free from said platform and permit one and the subsequent balls to overcome the action of said spring and gravitate under said stop member and roll through said compartment entrance into said compartment for reuse.

i k I! i it 

1. A pool table with pockets with runway means in said table connecting each of said pockets to a common outlet for gravitating all played balls from said pockets into an entrance in a casing under one end of said table comprising a descending runway secured in said casing in the form of a transverse helical convolute about a pair of spaced vertical axes with the upper entrance thereof connected to said common outlet for gravity conducting all played balls in a downward direction, an open compartment in said casing with a ball exit therein positioned to receive balls from the lower end of said descending runway, an elongated planar platform hinged at the inner end thereof in the floor of said runway for movement from a holding position at a predetermined angle above the floor of said runway to a lowered release position coplanar with said floor, a stop member transversely secured over said runway and positioned above said platform for engaging and holding the upper portion of foremost one of said balls form gravitating along said runway when said platform is in its said holding position, spring means biased between said runway and said platform for normally urging the latter into said holding position without balls tHereon, a coin mechanism in said casing adapted and constructed for manual reciprocating movement from an idle to a ball release position upon the deposit of a predetermined coin therein, lever means in said casing articulated with said coin mechanism for normally holding said platform in its upper holding position when said coin mechanism is in its said idle position with the first of said balls held against said stop member when said platform is in said holding position whereby the manual movement of the coin mechanism to its said release position will move said lever means free from said platform and permit one and the subsequent balls to overcome the action of said spring and gravitate under said stop member and roll through said compartment entrance into said compartment for reuse. 